Bose has been spying on its QuietComfort 35 headphone users via an app that collects their listening preferences, according to a lawsuit filed in Chicago earlier this week. The Framingham, Massachusetts-based audio company then shares the information with third parties - all without users' consent.

It's not just musical tastes that were logged - the app tracked radio station, podcast and audio lecture choices, as well as one's name, phone number and email address.

The lawsuit claims that Bose created in-depth profiles of users' history and listening preferences, passing it onto marketing companies like Segment, a San Francisco-based analytics firm that represents companies like Hotel Tonight, Draft Kings, Crate & Barrel and Fender.

The alleged unauthorized surveillance breaks a number of state and federal laws, including the Illinois Eavesdropping Statute, the Federal Wiretap Act and consumer fraud and privacy regulations.

"Companies need to be transparent about the data they take and what they are doing with it, and get consent from their customers before monetizing their personal information," said Jay Edelson, the attorney who filed the lawsuit.

Zak v. Bose Corp. is worth more than $5 million, according to the lawsuit, but Zak hasn't requested a specific amount in damages. The company's SoundSport Wireless, SoundSport Pulse Wireless, SoundLink Around-Ear Wireless Headphones II, Quiet Control 30 and SoundLink Color II have also been named in the complaint as possible culprits of privacy violation.